Snake River Tank monitor

[Craig Illman]

My charter base is going to start requiring holding tank monitors on our boats. Are people satisfied with the Snake River Electronics Acu-gage? Any other recommendations out there?

Craig Illman
Espresso #1150

[Stu Jackson]

Craig

Peggie Hall recommends them.  She's the best when it comes to that stuff.  Check her material out at www.catalinaowners.com

[Ron Hill]

Craig : If you look in the C34 Tech notes you'll find an article written about Snake River gage system by one of our members.  Ask the writer if he's still happy with the product.   

[Jack Hutteball]

I installed the Snake River unit on our boat and it works well (going on 4 years now).  It is difficult to install the tape sensors on the outside of the tank for the holding tank except on the tapered end unless you remove it.  I did not want to go to all that trouble so I installed them on the end of the tank.  It works OK but shows 1/4 tank when empty.  That is OK because I only worry as it fills up!
Jack

[willie]

Jake,

I just installed the same on my boat, if you cut just a little off the bottom of the metal strips at the bottom it will read empty when empty.

[Jack Hutteball]

Willie,
Can you describe what cutting off just "a little" means?  it seems that it would make the strips not get to the bottom of the tank and you could have water in there below where the strips ended.
Jack

[willie]

Hi Jack,

Well, the tank may be thicker at the bottom edge inside the tank than it looks. So you need to be at least 1/2 inch away from the bottom.

I have held the monitor on while emptying the tank and it goes empty and the empty light  goes on about the same time.

Hope that helps.

[Jack Hutteball]

Thank you Willie.  I will adjust the cut on the bottom of my strips and see how it works.
Jack

[Roc]

I mounted the metal strips on the side of the holding tank, the side that is not square.  One strip is longer than the other, but have noticed no problems in getting the read-out to show 'empty'.  The main concern with the calibration is to make sure you know when it's full.  The tank will never be 'empty' since there is always some contents stuck in the lower section of the tank, since it is not flat on the bottom, but angled down on the inboard side.

[willie]

http://www.pc-land.com/simplelife/simple_life_dbase/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=17&posts=6

here's a pic of my install

[Jack Hutteball]

Your installation looks almost identical to mine, including the placement of the tank monitor gauge.  After 4 seasons of use I probably have a little "sludge" build-up in the tank that is affecting the reading.  Probably need to get at cleaning it out. UGH!!!  By the way, has anyone out there cleaned out their holding tank?

My sterio is mounted behind the cabinet door by the nav table seat.  It had a black box already built in that I just had to make an opening in the face.  It is out of site when the little fingers of the granddaughters are aboard.
Jack

[willie]

Well jack,

Here is what I have done. Keep in mind we only "pee" in our toilet and no toilet paper, that goes in the trash. Still, build up occurs at the bottom of the tank.

I bring a hose in through the companion way and remove the lid on the tank. I then use a rag as a seal around the hose pointing into the tank and with high pressure spray the heck out of the tank. It's not to bad, the fumes are minor.

I also use this system: http://www.pc-land.com/simplelife/simple_life_dbase/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=20&posts=2   

[david]

Craig:

Take a look at the New Profile Series from Ferriello Sales LLC  They are the exclusive distributors for New Providence Marine Products.
It has features that are great.  Peggie Hall the Head Mistress commented on them on the Catalina owners site today.
Go to www.ferriellosales.com  Send Dennis an Email.  I am sure he will take care of your needs.  What I can see about them is that the consumer can program the unit and it also has profiling of the tanks, back lite and many other features.  It uses non contact sensors also.
Denni's email is dennis@ferriellosales.com

David

[Dennisferriello]

David:

Thanks so much for the Post.
I have recieved many emails in the last few days about our unit.  Anyone who may need any assistance with installaiton or any information on our unit please don't hesitate to write.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Some of the key features of our unit that the ULTRA does not have:
Tank Profiling.  It can be set for a slight V, hard V, round bottom and square tank.  This gives you a lot more accurate reading.
Back Lit panel and alarms, controlled by a photo cell
Screw down terminal block for wires.  Also they are silk screened as to what they are for.
Trouble shooting mode.  You can pull up the voltage on each sensor so you know exactly how full or emptly it is, this is for testing purpose's.
You can progam all functions in the panel yourself, no need to send the panel in to the factory.  The customer can do it all.
Power light on the sensor when it is in use.
Plus other items.


Our website is: www.ferriellosales.com

Dennis Ferriello
dennis@ferriellosales.com

[Craig Illman]

Dennis' product sounds nice, but I didn't appreciate David shopping my email address to a vendor to be solicited.

my 2 cents.

- Craig